RDVT4ME

Just curious. Do any of you think there might be a C550. I know the C63 is coming with 451 HP and there is definitly a market for the AMG car, but would there be a market for the smaller V8 in the C class?

I drove an SL550 the other day (belongs to a friend of mine) and the V8 was very nice. Maybe a C550 would be at a pricepoint somewhere between C63 and C350 and still give you some of that V8 muscle.

MBTex

Not that it means anything....but my dealer thought that there might be a C450 in the years (several years) to come. Obviously he had no clue what it would entail, but safe bet would be larger engine and more standard features just as the 350 has those features over the 300.

PHYBENZ

Def no 550, but look for an upgrade by the latest next fall, hopefully this Spring though. MB will be releasing some new V6's could be a 400 or maybe 450, though they could keep the 350 moniker and up the horsepower.

e1000

if they make one, I will buy one.

vcruiser

i was wondering the same thing.
Because i want something a little quicker than the 350.
Im pretty sure MB will do this. cuz that's theyre style.
I would wait, but i just am not patient enough and i dont really care because i ordered the c350 on a 3 year lease and my car after that will probably be a c63 amg!

KIRA

lol too small of a car for a C550

i think they would make one call

C55 AMG w/o SC

which is the same as W203 chassis C55 AMG V8 instead of calling C550

peabers

I believe there's currently a rumour for a C400... something like a bi-turbo engine 4.0L V6.

http://www.autospies.com/news/Merced...MW-335i-13333/

phs

Driving in the winter is the main concern about getting another AMG. I have been driving my C43 for the last seven years, and I have to say that it is a great summer car but I really have to concentrate driving in the snow. I always have winter tires on when the snow season starts. Rear traction can be enhanced with extra load in the trunk but no way near FWD for snowbound road conditions. I have ordered a C350 4MATIC and waiting for delivery, presumably in March 08, for that reason. I wish MB would eventually come up with 4MATIC AMG models. I cannot see how you would compromise performance in a AWD model when other manufacturers, like Porsche and Audi, have great performance cars that are AWD. Not that it is the most important performance marker, for example, the BMW335xi is a tenth of a second faster than her RWD counterpart, and likely better handling in real life situations. Just my opinion.

nantucketsleigh

4.6 liter V8 from GL would be ideal.

KIRA

time to say hello to the 335i

epiphone3

Expect a 3.0 liter or 3.5 liter V6 with Direct Injection and turbocharge to compete against the 335i. I highly doubt they would dabble in name changes as it seems to me that lately Mercedes has tried to closely match their nomenclature to BMW so that people know what car they are competing against (i.e. 335i Vs. C350, C230 Vs. 323i, etc)

iolithblue

the 3.5L direct injection petrol engine already exists, so it will only be a matter of time before it replaces the port injection version across the board in all MB passeger cars that use this engine, ie ML, E, CLK, SLK, SL, R, C.

however with regards to a V8, i would think you could only expect the 4.6L at best to keep the c63 as the clear leader

c350 (port inj) 200kw
c350cgi 215kw
c"450" 250kw
c"550" 285kw
c63 336kw

285 is too close to the output of the 6.3 IMHO. also consider the number of variants would be excessive.

alexyanglaw

I hope MB will make the Bi-turbo engine to compete with BMW 335, hahaha...can't wait.

GDawgC220

Add another twin turbo engine to compete. Audi announced the return of the twin-turbo V6 in the B8 (2009 A4 chassis) lineup. 3.0TT V6 putting out 330hp

chilledbenz

Simple answer is no. There has never been a non AMG V8 in a C. Although the idea sounds good to all of us, it doesn't make sense for business. From a business point of view here are a few points to consider.

First: They wouldn't sell enough of them to turn a profit. The C300 is the best selling Benz car, they would sell a very low number of C550's and they already have a low selling V8 joining the line up shortly.

Second: This ties into the first, a nicely loaded C350 will run you $45k. The price of a V8 version would have to be in the $45k to low $50k range. This would put it into E350 territory, not a place where a C should be.

Third: The C63 (although not offically announced as of yet) would be priced in the mid $60k range. A C550 and the C63 would be so close in price that it would be basically like offering the same car but with less of an engine and charging the same price.

So the question would be, would you pay $50k for a C class when you could get an E350, ML350, R350, G430, or for a little extra cash a C63? Doesn't make much sense to me.

e1000

1. some people like small cars
2. C550 would grossly outrun any of the above cars
3. CLK550 is produced, which is in theory, a C-class coupe/convertible

with that said, I don't think they'll do it. You're right, they've never put the high end V8 into the C class.

aansonsit

i guess hv C380 V6 on 2010, hv 311 hp

velvet fog

I'd pay 45k for the 382hp 550 motor in a C Class, tomorrow.

CinOttawa

Why wait till tomorrow....I would pay for that right now....382hp WOW! forget 335i...bring on the big boys....

Needless to say, the market for such a car would be small....but i still think it is worth it to dream about such cars :-)

Germancar1

No, there won't be a C550. Unless V8s become all rage in this class, outside of the tuner models. A C550 would be too expensive anyway.

M

velvet fog

My post was at 10:30 at night, the dealer was closed.

peabers

I'd pay $45K for the C400/C550 as well.... considering the base price for the C300W4M is around that already...

...here in Canada...

Untertürkheim

There is basically no chance there will be a C550, for so many reasons.

epiphone3

forget the 335i until the guy gets a software reflash and/or a set of down-pipes and takes you to school with 1200-1700 bucks in mods.